At the Swegle Boys and Girls Club, kids pointed at the Salem Public Library’s book display and talked so loudly over each other that it was hard to make out what they were saying. Some had raised their hands to get called on while others climbed around getting shushed by staff.
Jessica Marie, a senior librarian at Salem public library, was unphased. She addressed a raised hand with an attentive eye and said, “Yes, my dear?”
As she began speaking, most of the kids settled down.
Marie was leading a pop-up library event, part of the library’s outreach effort to connect with areas far from the downtown and West Salem libraries. A colorful outreach van brings books and activities, bringing access to communities that might otherwise have trouble using library services.
At the Boys and Girls Club on Friday, Aug. 16, Marie did a short presentation about library services and showed a virtual tour of the downtown Salem location. She explained that if the kids use their library cards responsibly, it will not cost a single penny.
“Not even a single dime?” one kid sitting in the front of the group shouted.
“Raise your hands if you have been there,” Marie said, referring to Salem’s downtown library. Most of the hands shot up. Marie then asked the kids to raise their hand if they’ve never been to the library. Around six hands raised.
Since April 2024, the library has hosted monthly pop-ups at parks, apartment complexes or the Boys and Girls Club, which largely works with kids from economically disadvantaged backgrounds. Before Friday’s visit to the Swegle branch, the pop-up library visited the Epping Homestead branch of the Boys and Girls Club, at 3805 Lancaster Drive N.E.
Pop-up libraries help people get access to books, whether or not they have a library card.
Pop-up library staff can assist people in setting up a library card or lend them books through “No Card, No Problem,” which sets aside books for anyone to take home.
The pop-up also offers crafts and activities for people to enjoy. At the Swegle pop-up last week, Marie and library summer intern Jaslyn Contreras brought styrofoam airplanes and a painting project for kids to play with.
“It’s just kind of a warm and fuzzy feeling,” Marie said, describing the pop-up libraries’ atmosphere.
In April this year, the city’s budget committee voted to avoid staffing cuts by using money from a hotel tax to fund existing library jobs for another year.
Even with library jobs secured for the year, there’s not enough staff for the pop-ups to happen more than once a month, Marie said. Despite the program’s success, Marie said it’s likely to be cut in the next fiscal year as the city wrestles its multi-million dollar budget shortfall.
The library has been a key point of discussion in the search for new revenue options, which will continue at Monday night’s city council meeting.
All worries about the pop-up’s future were far from center stage during the event, as Marie wrapped up by telling the kids they’ll get to bring a book home from the outreach library.
Despite some kids loudly saying they don’t like to read, everyone rushed to pick out a book.
Contact reporter Madeleine Moore: [email protected].
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Madeleine Moore is working as a reporter at Salem Reporter through the University of Oregon’s Charles Snowden internship program. She came to Salem after graduating from the University of Oregon in June 2024 with a bachelor’s degree in journalism.
